Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday praised President Donald Trump for his support on healthcare legislation and vowed that a vote to debate an outright repeal of Obamacare on the floor will be taken next week.

"It's pretty obvious we've had difficulty in getting 50 votes to proceed," the Kentucky Republican told reporters outside the White House after a luncheon with Trump and other party senators.

"But what I want to disabuse any of you of the notion that we will not have that vote next week," he said. "We're going to vote on the motion to proceed to the bill next week."

McConnell's latest proposal for the outright repeal — with a replacement healthcare plan developed over two years — was rejected not long after he announced it on Monday by three moderate Republicans.

Sens. Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska all said they would not vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act without having a replacement at the same time.

The announcements effectively killed McConnell's plan, as the Republicans — with a 52-48 majority — could afford to lose only two votes on any healthcare plan.

"We've had a lot of conversations," McConnell said of Trump's efforts. "He's talked to a lot of members."

Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price will be "on Capitol Hill tonight working with some of our members who have had some difficulty in getting to 'yes,'" the majority leader said.

He explained that next week's vote would bring the repeal motion to the Senate floor for full debate, not actually end Obamacare.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday praised President Donald Trump for his support on healthcare legislation and vowed that a vote to debate an outright repeal of Obamacare on the floor will be taken next week.